SPATULA CAPENSIS. 



CAPE SHOYELER. 



(Plate 61.) 



Rhynchaspis capensis, Smith, Cat. S. Afr. Mus., p. 36 (1837). 



Spatula capensis, Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 759 (1875-84) ; 

 NicoUs & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 128 (1892) ; Sal- 

 vadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvn, p. 318 (1895) ; Reichenow, 

 Vogel Afrikas, i, p. Ill (1900-01) ; Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., 

 m, p. 352 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 145 

 (1906). 



Local Name. " Slop " of the Colonists. 



Description. The bird figured is an adult male. The female 

 resembles that of the European Shoveler {S. clypeata), but has a 

 very dark brown tail with irregular rufescent bars. Length 

 about 20 in. 



Distribution. This is rather a rare duck in South Africa, but I 

 think it is probably commoner than is generally supposed, as it 

 is a bird of shy and wary habits. I have shot it near Bloem- 

 fontein, and in other parts of the Orange River Colony. It is 

 supposed to be confined to South Africa, but I shot a fine male 

 in British East Africa in company with some European Shovelers. 

 I have never met with it in the Transvaal, although there were 

 plenty of places suitable for it. 



The few Cape Shoveler that I have seen in South Africa were 

 in pairs, and in their manner of feeding they exactly resemble 

 the European bird, and have a curious trick of swimming 

 swiftly round each other in small circles in shallow water, 

 whUe they sift through their curious beaks the mud and small 

 insects stirred up by this action. 



They are very fast on the wing, and come through a flock 



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